The Frascati Neutron Generator and Sources facility

The ENEA Frascati Research Center activities are mainly focused on the Fusion Energy reactors research and development. To this aim, neutron sources and generators are needed in order to perform detector studies and material degradation tests. This implies different neutron fluxes and spectra to be used in the labs.

For this reason, the ENEA Frascati Research Center has developed over the years different experimental facilities for neutron tests, and some of these are also available for external access both to research groups and for companies interested in neutron irradiation tests.

The ENEA Frascati Research Center is presently hosting two of these sources, which cover most of the neutron energy spectrum and fluxes needed for R&Ds and damage tests.

The Frascati Neutron Generator FNG is the most powerful source, which generates neutron through the T(d,n)a fusion reaction, and is capable of producing up to 1*E11 n/s over 4pi. FNG can also produce 2.5-MeV neutron via the D(d,n)3He fusion reaction.

Auxiliary laboratories can provide several kind of measurements on devices and materials exposed to neutrons, and some of these are available for users.

Scientific collaborations, institutions and private companies which have been using the Frascati neutron sources include: JET, KIT, INFN, ESA, ITER, EUROFusion, University of Rome Tor Vergata,